On The Platform
by zxxyxxz
Summary: Sending your child off to Hogwarts is always hard for any parent but Lucius finds it harder than most.


**Hi All here's another fic for everyone. One that is hopefully a little less crazy than the last. Thanks for everyone who has read, reviewed, favourited any of my previous tales it means a great deal to have my writing appreciated. **

**Here we go a little snapshot into a possible life for Lucius and Hermione. **

**On The Platform**

**Disclaimer Harry Potter and his wonderful world belong to JK Rowling. **

Lucius turned quickly as a flash of movement and white blond caught his eye. Secure in the knowledge that his youngest was on the train that pulled slowly away from the station and that his son's compartment was no longer visible he gave his attention to the distraction. Anything would work if only to take his mind of the fact that for the first time in eleven years he and Hermione were completely alone. Shaking his head aware that dwelling in the sadness of September First would cause him more pain his gaze followed to where the passer-by was now stood. He knew instinctively that the figure he was staring at was his son. Was Draco, was the one thing his heart yearned for and the one thing it could never have again. Yes Draco's hair was thinning out and the boy was beginning to fill out but he was his son.

He stiffened as he felt something warm and firm slip into his hand but relaxed as he calmed down from frantic daydream and felt the familiar softness that was Hermione. He watched as Draco stared at the back of the scarlet engine, Lucius's own thoughts solely on his first born and not on the second born he would not see till Christmas time. Lucius slowly calculated that to see Draco on the platform would mean logically he had a grandson or granddaughter. It was a cold comfort to know that Draco had a family he could love and cherish and be loved openly by in return.

He would never see his first grandchild.

The thought stung and gripped his heart and chest with an icy hand.

He had fallen so much. He had willingly sacrificed the one perfect thing in his life to evil. He had destroyed Draco and cursed him to the oblivion of life as an ex-Death Eater. That he had cursed his Grandchild and his second son and even his second wife, his second chance and saviour to the very same existence. He was the worst Wizard alive and yet he still loved Draco and he wished to no avail with every passing day that he could make things right. How he wished that he could somehow turn back the clocks and make Draco smile again, that he could make his son love him again.

"Time to go."

He heard the delicate whisper and felt the warmth of breath on his ear. Blindly and not caring for anything save his guilt and grief he allowed himself to be steered away through the barrier of the platform and back to the Muggle station. Blinking back the tears that stung his eyes and fighting the urge to drop to the manky concrete floor in the midst of a throng of Wizard and muggle and cry and scream in a ball and pray to be smote; he placed one foot in front the other. Slowly he and Hermione managed to shuffle to a secluded alcove and apparated back to Wiltshire and the cold leaking Manor.

"I would willingly give all this away today if I could see Draco again."

Lucius said mournfully as they arrived in the parlour and he fell back into his chair pushing it back several inches towards the wall.

"I know. I know Darius and I are poor substitutes."

Hermione admitted not really knowing what to say. She never knew what to say. She could sympathise, having your parents out in the world with no knowledge of you was close but she knew it was still miles off. She didn't know what she would do if Darius were to leave her life.

"Never say that."

He shouted angrily. The sudden outburst made Hermione jump.

"I love you. Until you, until Azkaban and until my probation and rehabilitation I never knew you could be so close to someone who was not of your family. And…And I love Darius, I would die for Darius. I-I just miss Draco as well."

He admitted tearfully and defeated by his own personal hell and his own emotions he sunk back into the chair. His hands rubbing the tears from his eyes.

"I know, I know."

Hermione whispered as she placed one calming hand on Lucius's shoulder and with the other she stroked his hair her fingers working out any tangles they met.

"I should have protected him. I should have told him the error of such thinking. He grew up thinking like I did. If I wasn't there or wasn't a Death Eater he still would have joined! I am his father it's my job to stop him from making stupid decisions."

He shouted.

"How could you have stopped him when you didn't see the error of such thinking yourself?"

Hermione countered trying to find some words to calm her husband.

"But I should have seen and should have known it was wrong! Fuck it all Hermione it _was_ wrong why couldn't I see that? Why couldn't I save him?"

He asked tears freely falling his right hand tightly gripping the hand on his shoulder desperate for human contact and terrified all happiness would leave him if he gave it a chance.

"Because your father did the same to you. Because you were a foolish, bigoted young man who dug himself a hole so deep he could tell you what way was up. Because you got away with it once and a part of you still thought your views were right albeit the methods wrong. Because to protect your son you had to serve the master you loathed once again because without your service he was as good as dead."

Hermione reasoned placing a kiss into his white hair.

"But it's still wrong."

Lucius murmured.

"I agree, but equally as his father it's your job to love Draco even if he makes a stupid mistake and even if he hates you."

She said plainly sitting herself down on his lap.

"Why do you stay with me?"

He asked weakly a short while later as the heady scent of his Witch filled his nose.

"Because I love you."

Hermione replied succinctly.

"Why do you love me? I don't deserve love."

He rephrased.

"I cannot forget your deeds Lucius but at the same time I cannot stop myself from empathising with my fellow creatures nor can I stop my head and heart. I love you for what you are now not what you were even if on some days I ask myself why I stay with you. But life is not simple and I know how easy it is for anyone to get drawn into things out of their control purely based on belief. And when we are children and teenagers the world seems so black and white it is impossible to second guess ourselves or think what we are doing is wrong."

She said trying very hard to keep her voice neutral. Truth be told she couldn't tell you why she loved Lucius or why she stayed with him for so long, something about his demeanour and his words those many years ago saddened her so much she couldn't help but comfort him and embrace the man he wanted to be.

"I need you, I don't know whether that's love or not."

He admitted burying his nose into the mass of brown curls.

"All that matters is that we care for each other and are happy together. It doesn't matter how it comes about."

Hermione said completing the same exchange they always had when one or the other had doubts about what they had together.

"Mmm come closer."

Lucius mumbled moving his hands around her back and smiling Hermione cuddled deeper into the warmth of Lucius his chin resting on her head. There they stayed until the sun grew low in the sky and the fading light darkened the room.

"I love you Hermione."

He said earnestly.

"I love you too Lucius."

She replied and sealed it with a long chaste kiss on his lips.


End file.
